A sustainable grower-based method for entomopathogenic nematode production

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Entomology
• Nematology
• Biological Control

Background:

• Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) from Steinernema and Heterorhabditis genera are vital biological control agents.
• Current in vivo production methods are costly and lack scalability for growers.
• Existing grower-based systems are unsustainable due to reliance on external inoculum.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a self-sufficient, grower-based system for in-house production of EPNs.
• To validate the sustainability and efficiency of this novel production system.
• To compare nematode yield with standard production methods.

Main Methods:

• Development of a sustainable, grower-based EPN production system using polyacrylamide gel.
• Comparative experiments using standard White traps versus the grower-based approach.
• Evaluation of nematode yield for Steinernema carpocapsae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora.

Main Results:

• The grower-based approach produced equal to or greater numbers of nematodes compared to standard White traps.
• Steinernema carpocapsae yield increased significantly, from 159,114 to 244,029 infective juveniles per cadaver.
• The system proved effective for both tested EPN species.

Conclusions:

• The described self-sufficient grower-based system offers a sustainable and cost-effective solution for EPN production.
• This method has high potential for widespread adoption by growers seeking biological insect control.
• In-house EPN production can reduce reliance on external suppliers and improve scalability.